Field
The present disclosure relates to a laundry drying apparatus and more particularly, to a laundry drying apparatus having an improved laundry introduction and removal configuration, thereby achieving enhanced user convenience.
Discussion of the Related Art
A laundry treatment apparatus typically includes a washing machine for washing laundry and a drying apparatus for drying laundry.
A drying apparatus is a home appliance that dries completely washed laundry, e.g., clothing, using hot air. Generally, the drying apparatus includes a laundry vessel in which laundry is received. Dry air is fed into the laundry vessel and wet air inside the laundry vessel is exhausted, drying the laundry.
Such a drying apparatus may be divided into a top loading type drying apparatus and a front loading type drying apparatus according to a method of introducing laundry into the drying apparatus. In the top loading type drying apparatus, laundry is introduced through the top of the drying apparatus. In the front loading type drying apparatus, laundry is introduced through the front side of the drying apparatus.
Further, the drying apparatus may be divided into a condensation type drying apparatus in which air used to dry laundry is circulated, and an exhaust type drying apparatus in which air used to dry laundry is discharged from the drying apparatus.
In the condensation type drying apparatus, humid air heat-exchanged with laundry in a drum is circulated rather than being discharged from the drying apparatus, and then exchanges heat with outside air in a condenser, thus causing condensed water to be discharged. In the exhaust type drying apparatus, humid air heat-exchanged with laundry in a drum is directly discharged from the drying apparatus.
In the condensation type drying apparatus as described above, air used to dry an object, such as laundry, collects lint from the laundry. The lint is caught by a lint filter that is installed in a path of air to be discharged from the drum.
Hereinafter, a laundry drying apparatus according to the related art will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an internal configuration of a laundry drying apparatus according to the related art.
The laundry drying apparatus according to the related art, designated by reference numeral 10, includes a cabinet 20 defining an external appearance of the drying apparatus 10, a drying drum 30 rotatably placed within the cabinet 20, an air supply device 50 that supplies dry air into the drying drum 30 and then collects and circulates the air, and a drive unit 40 that supplies and transmits power to the drying drum 30 and the air supply device 50.
A door 21 is installed to the front side of the cabinet 20 such that an object to be dried, i.e. laundry, is introduced into and removed from the drying drum 30 through the open door 21.
The door 21 is provided with a door glass 22 to allow a user to view a drying process within the drying drum 30. In FIG. 1, the door glass 22 is configured to protrude inward of the drum 30, in order to prevent laundry inside the drying drum 30 from moving toward the door 21 during drying of laundry.
The drying drum 30 is a cylindrical drum defining a drying space therein. The drying drum 30 has a front opening 31 for introduction and removal of laundry and a rear air supply port 32 through which air is supplied from the air supply device 50.
The air supply device 50 is located below a front end of the drying drum 30 and is configured to collect and heat air inside the drying drum 30, and thereafter to supply the heated air through a rear end of the drying drum 30.
The above-described air supply device 50 includes a blowing fan 54 configured to cause movement of air, a collection duct 52 located at the front end of the drying drum 30 to collect air from the drum 30, a heating duct 55 connected to the collection duct 52 to heat air, and a condensation duct 56 connected to the heating duct 55 to condense moisture contained in air.
The drive unit 40 transmits power for operation of the drying drum 30 as well as the air supply device 50. The drive unit 40 includes a motor 41, and a power transmission member 42 (e.g., a belt and a pulley) configured to transmit rotational power of the motor 41 to the drying drum 30. The blowing fan 54 may be directly connected to the motor 41 to receive power from the motor 41.
A lint filter 60 is provided in the collection duct 52 of the air supply device 50 and serves to catch lint contained in the air collected from the drying drum 30. In consideration of a structural feature shown FIG. 1, the lint filter 60 must be located in front of the drying drum 30. To remove the caught lint through the open door 21, the lint filter 60 is separably mounted in the collection duct 52.
In the case of the laundry drying apparatus 10 according to the related art as described above, the drying drum 30 and the blowing fan 54 are configured to be driven by the single motor 41. To this end, the drying drum 30 is typically horizontally installed. Generally, the drying drum 30 is horizontally installed to allow air to uniformly pass through laundry as an object to be dried.
In the case in which the drying drum 30 is horizontally installed, the door 21 configured to open or close the drying drum 30 is typically vertically installed to open or close the opening 31 of the drying drum 30. In this case, the user who tries to introduce or remove laundry must bend at the waist, which may cause user inconvenience.
Additionally, the lint filter 60 is located between the horizontally installed drying drum 30 and the vertically installed door 21. In this case, the door glass 22 of the door 21 may clog an air path extending from the drying drum 30 to the lint filter 60.
Further, when the drying drum 30 is rotated during drying of laundry, laundry may jam between the door glass 22 and the lint filter 60. The jammed laundry may clog an air collection path extending through the collection duct 52 and the lint filter 60, and may prevent rotation of the drying drum 30.